PG&E pays $157M in property taxes

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) announced Tuesday it is making property tax payments totaling over $157 million to the 49 counties in which it operates.

This amount, being paid this week, is the first of two annual installments and represents full and timely payment of property taxes due for the period from July 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012.

?Local governments are facing financial challenges and must address public safety, environmental protection, health care, education and other needs with limited resources,? said Mark Caron, PG&E's vice president of tax.

?PG&E's timely and substantial payments to local governments for property taxes and other fees help them address those vital community services.?

The company's tax payments to counties for tax year 2012/13 increased by more than $18 million over the previous property tax year's payments as a result of an increase in assessments due to PG&E's infrastructure investments.

This includes upgrades to improve electric and gas safety, reliability and capacity, as well as energy-generating- station development.

In Tehama County, property taxes were paid in the amount of $960,738, which is up $63,838 from a year ago.

Property taxes paid to the remaining North Valley counties include Butte, $2,878,157, which is up $210,415 from a year ago; Glenn, $567,044, up $42,980; Plumas, $1,876,985, up $65,865; Shasta, $4,099,255, up $213,277; Siskiyou, $110,015, up $7,697; and Trinity, $95,303, up $6,877.